Erlanger was named for Baroness Marguerite Mathilde d'Erlanger, wife of the French railroad official who visited Chattanooga in the late 1800's and donated money for the hospital's construction. Over the years the name of the hospital changed from the "Baroness Erlanger" to "Erlanger Medical Center."
On Monday, Erlanger reclaimed a portion of that heritage by renaming the main facility on Third Street as the Erlanger "Baroness" campus.
As part of this renaming process, renowned Chattanooga artist Elizabeth Decosimo was commissioned to sculpt a bust of the Baroness Erlanger. Ms. DeCosimo's model for the project was Meredith Dyer, a student at GPS, who was chosen for her resemblance to Baroness Marguerite d'Erlanger from photos submitted by the public.
The bust has been cast in bronze and was first unveiled at the Baroness Ball on Saturday at the Chattanoogan conference center. A donor, who wishes to remain anonymous, underwrote the cost of the bust.
The bust was dedicated and the Erlanger Baroness campus renamed during a ceremony on Monday at 2 p.m. in the Erlanger Medical Mall.
Sculpted by local artist Elizabeth Decosimo, the bust of the Baroness d'Erlanger was unveiled during ceremonies to rename the Erlanger campus on Third Street as the Erlanger "Baroness" campus.
- Photo2 by Jan Powell